Aspinwall considering tax credit for emergency responders

Aspinwall emergency responders could soon be in line for a tax break.

Council is considering a special tax credit for fire and EMS volunteers that would slash up to $300 from their Earned Income Tax (EIT) or cut 20% from property taxes.

“This is a new initiative that the borough doesn’t currently offer,” Manager Melissa Lang-O’Malley said.

The move is a way to recognize the service of emergency responders, council members said during its most recent meeting.

“We’ve been talking about it for awhile now and it’s time to move on it,” Councilmember Marcia Cooper said.

The credit is for nonpaid responders only, and responders would have to apply for it every year.

Fire Chief Gene Marsico and Foxwall EMS Chief Tony Cuda would be required to verify which members qualify depending on criteria to be set by council.

A borough ordinance would set a number of service hours required to qualify.

If approved, the borough would join a growing list of local municipalities that offer the tax break.

Shaler Commissioners earlier this year expanded tax assistance by offering a property tax credit to department retirees and others who qualify.

Shaler Manager Tim Rogers said the township offers firefighters a $300 earned income tax (EIT) credit but wanted to extend a hand to fire volunteers that don’t meet the minimum income requirement for the EIT aid.

“There are retirees and younger people that don’t have that income, yet they still serve our fire departments, and commissioners want to recognize that,” Rogers said.

The new Shaler policy gives qualifying volunteers a 20% real estate tax credit. Participants have to volunteer 25 hours of service at one of the township’s six fire departments to be eligible.

In McCandless, eligible volunteers can receive a $500 credit on their EIT bill.

There, fire chiefs of the township’s three departments are required to provide council with a notarized list of volunteers who are eligible. Criteria includes the number of emergency response calls to which a volunteer responds, the level of training, time spent fundraising or maintaining equipment and involvement in other events that support the fire companies.

Aspinwall’s next meetings are May 5 and 12. The meetings start at 7 p.m.